Dynamic compressive behaviors of an open-cell aluminum foam

The dynamic compressive experiments were conducted on the open-cell aluminum foams prepared by infiltration process using the SHPB. The dynamic response and strain rate dependence of the aluminum foams with the relative density of 0.341-0.419 were investigated in the strain rate range from 10^-3 to 2000 s^-1, and the deforming characteristic of the foams was observed by using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Experimental results show that the flow stresses of the aluminum foams increase with increasing strain rate, demonstrating a distinct strain rate effect in the open-cell aluminum foams. Observed results with SEM reveal a homogeneously macroscopic deforming mode in the dynamic compression of the open-cell aluminum foam. However, the microscopic deformation of the foams is adopted by the transversal stretch of the cells.